Metal-bending machine.



Patented Dec. l7, 190i;

2 Sheets-Sheet l.-

C. B. GARDINER & D. F. BANNEY.

METAL SENDING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 7, 1901.

(No Model.)

We NORRIS PETERS co. Pwomumu. WASHINGTON. n cy No. 689,075. Patented Dec. l7, l90l.

' c. B. GARDINER & n. F. RANNEY.

METAL BENDING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 7, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Ill

Illumllllllx INIIIIIIIHHHNF my w CHARLES BERRY GARCINER AND DAVID FRANCIS RANNEY, OF RAYNHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE DIAMOND TACK AND NAIL WVORKS,

OF RAYNHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

METAL- -BENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,075, dated December 17, 1901.

Application filed August '7, 1901. Serial No. 71,176. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that we, CHARLES BERRY GAR- DINER and DAVID FRANCIS RANNEY, citizens of the United States, and residents of Raynham, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Metal-Bending Machine, of whichthe following is afull,clear,and exact description.

This invention relates to machines for bending or forming steel shanks for shoes,although it may be used in bending metal for other purposes.

The object is to provide a machine of this character designed to hold a large number of blanks and to automatically feed the blanks one at a time to the forming-dies, whereby the Work may be rapidly and economicall performed.

We will describe a metal-bending machine embodying our invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a metal-bending machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line no no of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing the parts in one position. Fig. dis a similar section, but showing the parts in another position. Fig. 5 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail showing a plunger device employed. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail showing a stop-finger employed, and Fig. 8 is an edge View of a type of shank formed by the machine.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the main frame of the machine, here shown as supported on legs 2. Extended from one end of the main frame is a slideway 3 for blanks to be formed into shanks. To adjust the slideway to different lengths of blanks that maybe placed therein, we provide adjustable side pieces 4 5, which are movable on the bottom of the slideway. They are adjusted by means of screws 6, passing through tapped openings in the side walls of the slideway. To prevent an upward movement of the blanks, bars 7 are arranged longitudinally of the slideway and are supported by cross-bars 8. For the different widths of blanks these bars 7 and 8 may be raised or lowered, as desired, and held by blocks 9, placed between the upper edges of the side pieces of the slideway and the ends of the bars 8. The blanks are moved along the slideway by means of a plunger consisting of a rod, 10, having a head 11, which bears against the rear blank of the series, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1, and this head 11 is made to swing slightly with relation to the rod, so that it will be self-adjusting to the blanks. The outer end of the rod 10 is connected to a slideblock 12, mounted to slide in a guide 13, extended outward from the slideway 3, and from this block 12 a rope or cable ll extends around pulleys 15 and 16 mounted, on the frame of the machine at right angles one to the other, and the end of said rope or cable connects with a weight 17.

Arranged on the main frame is a fixed die- Section 18. This die-section is held by means of screws 19 in a boxing on the main frame, and coacting with this fixed die-section is a movable dissection 20. This die-section 20 is supported in a cross-head 21, movable longitudinally of the main frame by means of a pitman connection 22 with the crank of a crank-shaft 23, which at one end is pro vided with fast and loose pulleys 2t 25 and atthe other end with a balance-wheel 26. The pitman 22 is here shown as made in two sections, so that it may be adjusted lengthwise for the required throw or movement of the cross-head 21.

From a cross-bar 27, arranged on the slideway above the fixed die-section, is a springyielding holdingfinger 28. This holdingfinger extends downward in front of the fixed die-section at about its center, and the movable die-section is provided with a recess 29, into which the finger may pass, permitting the movable die section to press the work closely against the fixed die-section.

Having vertical reciprocating movement on the machine-frame is a plunger-head 30, which can be made of steel or other suitable will hereinafter appear.

material and is designed to force the blanks downward to be operated upon by the die, as Removably connected to the plunger-head are plunger-fingers 31, which preferably consist of hard metal, such as steel, and there may be as many of these plungerfingers as desired. The plunger-fingers are provided with shoulders 32 for engaging against the upper edge of a blank, while the portion of the fingers below the shoulders will engage against the front surface of the forward blank. The plunger-head 30 is connected at its ends to rods 33, which are guided in brackets 34 on the machine-frame and pass through lugs 35 on the lower portion of the side rails of the machine-frame.

Springs 36 are arranged around the rods 33 between said lugs 35 and collars 37, adjustable on the rods and held as adjusted by means of set-bolts 38. The springs 36 are designed to impart a downward movement to the plunger-head; It is moved upward, however, by a cam 39, attached to the shaft 23 and engaging with an arm 40, extended from a rock-shaft 4:1, and from this rock shaft 41 lifting-arms 42 extend forward and engage the under sides of blocks 43, attached to the upper side of the plunger-head.

Arranged underneath the frame and adapted to receive the finished work from the-die is an inclined tray 44,and the work is pushed along in this tray as the movable die moves toward its operating position by means of a finger 45, connected to the cross-head 21.

In operation any desired number of blanks is to be placed in the slideway and forced forward by the plunger. The forward blank of the series will engage against the stop-finger 28 and be held until the plunger-head moves downward and engages the shoulders 32 with the upper edge of the blank. Then by a con tinued downward movement of the plungerhead, caused by the springs 36, the blank will be forced downward and held in front of the fixed die-section by the stop-finger. During this time the die-section 20 will be moving forward and engaging with the blank and shaping it. Before, however, the die-section 20 reaches its pressing position the plungerhead will be moved upward by the operation of the cam 39, as before mentioned. During the forming of one shank the next blank of the series of course will be in position against the holding-finger28. The finished work will fall into the tray 44:.

While the dies arranged in the machine are for forming shanks, as indicated in Fig. 8, it is obvious that other forms of dies may be employed, depending upon the character of work to be performed. This machine is practically automatic in its operation, and obviously may perform work much faster than is possible with metal-bending machines in which the blanks are fed manually through the dies.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a metal-bending machine, a fixed diesection, a movable die-section, a slideway for blanks, a yielding holding-finger extended downward at the end of said slideway and across the fixed die-section, and a plunger for operating in the slideway, substantially as specified.

2. In a metal-bending machine, formingdies, means for feeding blanks to a point above the dies, and a verticallymovable plunger-head for moving blanks to operative position in the'dies, substantially as specified.

3. In a metal-bending machine, formingdies,a slideway for blanks,a plunger-head operating at the outlet end of said slideway, and shouldered plunger-fingers removably seated in channels in said head, substantially as specified.

4. In a metal-bending machine, formingdies, a slideway for blanks, a plunger for operating in said slideway, a stop-finger at the outlet end of the slideway, a plunger-head for moving blanks from the slideway to the dies, a rock-shaft, a cam for operating the rockshat't, arms extended from the rock-shaft to a loose connection with the plunger-head, and springs for moving the plunger-head downward, substantially as specified.

5. In a metal-bending machine, forming- .dies, a slideway for blanks, adjustable side rails in said slideway, and vertically-adjust able, holding-bars on the slideway for engaging the top edges of the blanks, substantially as specified.

6. In a metal-bendingmachine, supports for forming-dies, a slideway for blanks, vertically-adjustable holding-bars in the slideway, a plunger-rod movable in the slideway, and a head having swinging connection with said rod, substantially as specified.

'7. In a metal-bending machine, a support for a fixed die-section, a cross-head for carrying a movable die-section, a crank-shaft for moving the cross-head, a plunger-head, a rock-shaft, arms extended from the rock-shaft, plates on the plunger-head, with the under side of which the arms loosely engage, an arm extended from one end of the rock-shaft, and a cam on the crank-shaft for engaging with said last-named arm, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES BERRY GARDINER.

DAVID FRANCIS RANNEY. Witnesses:

CHARLES L. WILBUR,

FREDERICK S. HALL. 

